The Pier, the Water, and the Best Friend
by Liberty Hoffman
Summary: When Shawn falls off the pier and doesn't resurface, it's up to Gus to save his best friend. one shot. Gus POV. NO SLASH. Enjoy!


There we were, on the pier, Shawn and Abigail holding hands. Once again, I was the third wheel, but I didn't really mind. It was good to see Shawn find that someone else. I watched from a careful distance as Shawn led Abigail to the edge of the dock. But as they leaned on the low railing, Shawn seemed to slip and before I could even have time to react, he tumbled over the rail and into the water.

"Shawn!" I yelled, racing to the edge where Abigail was peering down frantically. I expected him to surface right away, but there was no sign of him.

"Shawn!" Abigail cried, her face instantly full of worry. And then I saw it - A hand, flailing just above the water, groping at the support beam under the bridge.

Shawn.

I didn't even think, which wasn't normal for me even in most dire circumstances. With once last glance at the water, I dove off the pier. The water was freezing even though it was late June. I had to stop myself before I inhaled sharply at the shock of it. I surfaced beside the support beam, looking this way and that. "Shawn!?"

No answer.

I ducked down, forcing my eyes open and ignoring the salt that stung them. There he was. The back of his shirt was twisted and tangled on something that was on the pole. Shawn was flailing his arms, trying to get free, unable to get himself high enough to find the air. I swam quickly to his side and pressed myself almost face first against the pole. I dug my hand into a knot of mangled rope that was on the side of the pole and got my other arm across Shawn's chest. Then I pulled and kicked with all my might until our heads surfaced beside the support beam. Shawn tipped his head back and gasped for air and then began coughing harshly. I pulled harder, but I couldn't get him any higher. The only way he could breathe was to keep his head back.

"Shawn! Are you okay?" I gasped. My arms were already aching from gripping Shawn and the pole.

"Gus..." Shawn coughed. A little wave of water rolled over his head. I pulled and he came up coughing. "ABIGAIL!" I hollered. "Get help! Call for help!"

"I don't have my phone!"

I forced myself not to panic. "There's one at the Psych office!"

I was practically hugging the pole now in my effort to maintain my grip. The water kept washing over Shawn's face and in horror I realized that the tide was coming in. Shawn had a death grip on my arm as he, too, pulled up in an effort to keep his head afloat.

"Hang on, Shawn, help is on the way," I grunted. But I was starting to panic now.

"Gus! Gus! I called the police! And Shawn's dad. They're on their way!" Abigail yelled. "Is Shawn okay?"

"He's stuck on the support beam and the tide's coming in! I yelled back. I knew we didn't have much time. There was no time to wait for rescue. I had to do something fast. "Abigail!" I hollered. "Run back to the Psych office and grab some scissors or anything that can cut!"

"Okay!" She yelled.

Shawn tried to grab at the back of his shirt with one hand, but he couldn't reach far enough. Another wave, this one bigger, washed over his face. I strained to pull him back up.

"Gus, I've got some scissors! I tied them to some bubble wrap I found so they won't sink!" Abigail called. "I'm dropping them now."

A few seconds later, a bundle of bubble wrap plopped in the water in front of us. I let go of Shawn for a second so I could grab it. The scissors nearly fell out of the wrap, but I grabbed them before they sank.

"Okay, Shawn," I said, gripping him once more. "I'm gonna try to cut you loose."

I shifted to the other side of Shawn, getting my arm across his chest and gripping the tangled, salt encrusted rope to keep his head up. Then I gripped the scissors in my other hand and reached behind Shawn's back, trying to find what he was caught on. But because Shawn's head was tipped back, I couldn't see what I was doing.

The tide was coming in, quick and relentless. The waves came in, trying to drown my best friend. Knowing we had almost no time left, I reached between the pole and Shawn's back and began hacking away at the cloth of Shawn's shirt with the scissors. I was scared that I was going to cut Shawn, but more than that I was scared that I wouldn't be able to get him free in time.

A siren wailed, giving me some hope. But the water was washing over both of our heads now. I swallowed just as much water as air. But I kept hacking away with the scissors. The water was over our heads. I couldn't pull anymore. But then I felt Shawn come free of the pole. Ignoring my aching arms, I dropped the scissors, grabbed Shawn, and began kicking for the surface. I could feel Shawn's legs kicking beside mine. That was a relief. I broke the surface, gasping and blinking the water from my eyes. Shawn was coughing beside me and almost limp in my arms. I wasn't sure how long I was going to be able to keep him, much less myself, afloat.

"GUS! SHAWN!"

I tipped my head back, and was just able to make out faces leaning down over the pier.

"Help!" I yelled, suddenly realizing I needed it. There was no way I was going to be able to get Shawn back to shore on my own.

"Hang on!" I heard someone yell. "Help is on the way!"

And then someone in an orange and black wet-suit came down over the edge of the pier on a cable.

"Hang on guys, we're getting a basket lowered," He said.

And then there it was. The man in the wet-suit helped us into it and we were pulled up onto the safety of the pier. The first person I saw when they got the basket on solid ground was Shawn's dad, looking worried. Beside him were Abigail, Juliet, and Lassie and they all ran forward as we were helped from the basket. Mr Spencer ran straight to Shawn and hugged him and for once, Shawn didn't resist. The whole back of his shirt was jagged and ripped open where I'd cut it with the scissors.

Everyone pounded us with questions and made sure we were okay. And we were. Thank God.


End file.
